The Mech Touch

a lot more history under their belt, older star sectors already developed a lot of distinctive characteristics.

Each of them offered very interesting circumstances for him to focus his exploration towards.

For example, one star sector might be filled with religious states, while another had fully converted to the bestial supremacy movement.

The mechs designed from these eclectic states all inherited some of the characteristics of these distinct cultures.
Ves mentally salivated at the thought of witnessing a huge variety of strange and unusual mechs.

Just as he began to mention some of his favorite options, a knock sounded at the door.
Ves ordered Lucky to deactivate his ECM field before commanding the door to slide open.

Fe Nitaa entered the room with a somewhat troubling expression.
”My apologies, sir.
Miss Gloriana Wodin called.
She is quite insistent on speaking with you this instant. ”

”Is it urgent? ”

His bodyguard shook her head but merely repeated her words.
”She is quite insistent. ”

That must be quite an understatement if Ves gauged Gloriana correctly.
He helplessly waved his hand.
”Let ’s resume this discussion later, Gavin.
Go ahead and inform Calsie of my plan.
She will have to prepare the LMC for the upcoming transition as well. ”

”Will do, boss.
You ’re really putting us in a difficult spot, though.
The LMC would be much better off if you stayed behind. ”

”A mech company ’s strength is determined by the strength of their lead designers, Benny.
If there is an opportunity for me to progress faster in a sustainable fashion, I won ’t hesitate to take it.
The next few decades may be challenging, but the payoff will be more than worth it for myself and the company. ”

”By that time, many of the workers who joined the LMC at the start will have retired by then. ” Gavin morosely muttered.

His remark reflected the lack of understanding between normal people and mech designers.
As a Journeyman, Ves had already crossed the extraordinary threshold and therefore became increasingly more inscrutable.
Even his assistant, who had spent a long time by his side, couldn ’t figure him out sometimes!

This problem would only exacerbate as Ves continued to progress and distance himself from his normal human roots.

Once Gavin and Nitaa left the room, he accepted Gloriana ’s thirty-seventh call attempt.

The woman that appeared looked grumpy.
And gorgeous.
Dressed in a body-hugging white sweater that accentuated her slenderness and a skirt that showed off her delicate legs, his ’girlfriend ’ immediately appealed to him in a very primal way.

”Gloriana. ” He began.
”You look..
pretty. ”

”Oh? Just pretty? ” Glorian twirled a lustrous lock of her raven hair.
”Is that the extent of what I deserve? ”

”You ’re gorgeous! If you weren ’t in front of me as a projection, I would have embraced you by now! ”

”Hihihi! That ’s better! ”

After a bit of small talk, they settled down.
The reason why Gloriana called was because she finally received some news about the promises she made.

”I ’ve been looking into how to obtain a factory ship with the specifications we need. ” She began with a serious tone.
”The Wodin Dynasty owns stock in many different businesses spread through the Hegemony.
We have close ties to a number of shipbuilding companies and have commissioned them to build many of my dynasty ’s starships.
The only problem is… ”

”Factory ships are expensive.
And complicated. ”

Gloriana nodded.
”Exactly.
As much as I want to commission the best, I don ’t have the money to afford one.
Even if I contribute to numerous mech design projects in the next ten years, I still won ’t be able to pay off more than a tenth of the cost! ”

”We don ’t need the best.
As long as they are properly built, we can always upgrade them later.
Also, we don ’t have to commission a second-class factory ship from your home state.
It ’s a lot more affordable to commission a third-class factory ship so that— ”

”—NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! I WILL NOT TRAVEL AROUND WITH YOU IN A SHABBY RUST BUCKET! ”

”… ”

Ves was afraid of this.
Gloriana ’s perfectionist tendencies had cropped up in the worst time!

”Gloriana… unless your Wodin Dynasty helps with the financing, there ’s no way we can obtain a good ship.
I ’ve seen the prices the shipbuilding companies charge for this class of vessels.
Why not look for cheaper alternatives such as buying a second-hand factory ship? ”

”No! Don ’t speak nonsense, Ves! I will not have our time together be ruined by inadequate facilities and equipment breakdowns! Our factory ship will be our flagship and our home for the next couple of decades! Our children will grow up running through the halls! ”

”Err..
kids? ” Ves became stumped.

Wasn ’t this too fast?!

”We owe it to our cute little children to provide the best nurturing environment! ”

As Ves still puzzled over the mention of kids, Gloriana already moved on as if this issue wasn ’t in question!

”Don ’t worry, Ves.
I don ’t expect you to be able to help me in the financing.
I can manage on my own, I think.
I ’ve been sounding out my parents and the rest of the Wodin Dynasty for a potential deal.
With my potential, I ’m sure I can get them to agree to an accommodation.
The only concern I have is that they might make some problematic demands. ”

Factory ships were expensive, so even the Wodin Dynasty wouldn ’t be able to shrug off their cost.
Even if Gloriana was a part of the family, there were rules she needed to abide by.
No one was allowed to squander the dynasty ’s fortunes!

”Please don ’t make too many promises. ” Ves pleaded.
”We don ’t need all the latest toys and whistles! ”

His girlfriend completely ignored his words! ”You don ’t have to worry about anything, Ves! If everything goes well, the shipbuilding company will begin construction of our fantastic new factory ship in a couple of years! Our new vessel will put all the other privately-owned factory ships in the Hegemony to shame! ”

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